Month 1 Travel Reflection

Today I am writing this post sitting in a hammock in a hostel in Coff’s Harbour, NSW, Australia so I am extraordinarily lucky. Today also marks 1 month since I started travelling.
I thought I’d write a monthly review to let everyone know how it’s been going, we’ve been so busy doing lots of different things that I haven’t actually been able to write as often as I’d thought I would!
In month 1, we have visited 9 different places across 4 countries, all of which have been new to both of us. In Asia, we visited Dubai, Singapore & Bali (Jimbaran, Ubud & Kuta). In Oceania we have visited Australia (Sydney, Port Stephens, Port Macquarie & Coff’s Harbour).
|| Related: Asia Travel Posts ||Month 1 Highlights:

Hostels can be gross, especially kitchens and bathrooms. By backpacking you are sharing with more people than you are used to in your house at home, however, the shared bathrooms haven’t actually freaked me out as much as I expected. The kitchens aren’t as horrible as you would expect as in the ones that we have stayed in so far, people are actually cleaning up after themselves!

The right roommates are so important. In hostel 1, we had a few hostel long-termer lad roommates who because they were living there rather than just staying there, would leave their stuff everywhere, even if it needed to go in a laundry bag (that’s all I’ll say about that) and would be coming in and out of the room all night with people who did not share our room. This made me in particular feel quite uncomfortable & we ended up moving. Our next roommates were great, we all arrived on the same day, no one snored, we were (mostly) tidy and the 5 of us ended up friends!

I am not as homesick as I thought I’d be. I speak to my Mum, Dad and brother every day in the family WhatsApp group, I message other family members too. I’m using Facebook each day or so to update everyone at home as to what we’ve been up to so the contact is almost constant. Technology makes long-term travel so much easier. Though saying that, I haven’t missed a big family event yet so maybe I’ll get a little homesick then as one of my cousins is due to have a little one in a few weeks time so I’ll be missing out on baby cuddles! I’ll have to FaceTime to see his little face once he’s here!

Next month:
We’re currently heading up the East Coast so our plans at the moment are to keep following it up and then stopping for a while in Brisbane, making it our short-term home!So…
I have no regrets about leaving home to come travelling around Australia. I honestly believe that it is and will continue being a big learning experience. I’m so lucky to have this opportunity and I know that even though the mosquitos are using me as a pin cushion, I am having the best time.
|| Related: Month 2 Travel Reflection ||
Bex

Thank you! I definitely am!
I figured monthly updates will keep people at home updated better than expecting them to read every little thing, quick little overview so they know that I’m alive & happy!
I look forward to it to! ☺️

reroutelifestyle

Aw I loved this recap! I actually just stayed in my first hostel at the beginning of this year, too. The experiences have been tremendous, largely in part due to the incredible people I’ve met in them.
Can’t wait to read more of these in the future!

I’ve noticed that the one in Sydney is dreadful compared to others in smaller areas, and overpriced too! Which country was your first hostel in? People definitely make or break your time don’t they!
Thank you so much 💜

We are! He cut on something under the water in the creek, probably a shell or something because it was a clean cut about 0.5cm deep, doc cleaned it (had to scrub it & go inside foot with tweezers because there was debris in it from the creek) & glued it back together, hasn’t been allowed to walk on it properly today to give the glue a chance! Then no water on it for 3-7 days, gotta change his bandage in 2 days and check for signs of infection but with the cleaning they gave it, it’s unlikely, he’s fine though! I’m really excited for Brisbane! Is that where you spent most of your time when you came? X

Claire Taylor

Hiya,
That sounds horrible- poor Jack. Tell him to get better soon.
I have been twice. Did Melbourne and Sydney first time round then Brisbane last year. We stayed in Caloundra although we visited lots of nearby places. We went into Brisbane town one day – that was nice. There is a massive Swimming pool in the centre so if you go take your swimmies!!
Can’t wait to see where you end up.
Love you
Claire, John & Louisa 😘

He’s fine, it was just the cleaning that hurt, First bandage change in the morning so we’ll see what it’s like then 🙃!
Oooh, I love a good swimming pool, so excited! We’re gonna stay in Brisbane for a little while & try and get some work so should have plenty of time to explore!
Love you all
❤️💜❤️

Dubai, Singapore, Bali in Indonesia & now Australia, won’t be doing any new ones for a while as got a year visa for Australia 🙂 they have private rooms in hostels too but I can understand why you prefer the thought of hotels! Thank you 🙂

The Crooked Bookmark

Sounds like you’re having a great time 🙂
Loving the kangaroo pic! The whole hostel/room sharing with people I don’t like is what put me off doing the travelling thing! I realised I am pretty intolerant!
x